Calendar watch

ABSTRACT

A calendar watch date indicator drive mechanism including a rotatably driven cam carried by a shaft slidably disposed in a guide groove, the cam being effective, in combination with a jumper, to cause a delayed, sharp, rotational advance of the date indicator means when sliding movement of the cam is mechanically arrested.

United States Patent Jean Tripet Bienne, Switzerland 857,685 Sept. 15, 1969 Aug. 31, 1971 Gruen Industries, Inc. New York, N.Y.

Sept. 16, 1968 Switzerland 13,841/68 inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority CALENDAR WATCH I 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl Int. Cl Field of Search [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,427,799 2/1969 Besson 58/58 3,449,905 6/1969 Besson 58/58 FOREIGN PATENTS 800,467 8/1958 Great Britain 58/5 8 353,683 5/1961 Switzerland... 58/58 368,751 5/1963 Switzerland... 58/58 425,641 6/1967 Switzerland 58/58 460,645 9/1968 Switzerland 58/5 8 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-George H Miller, Jr. Attorney-Kegan, Kegan & Berkman ABSTRACT: A calendar watch date indicator drive mechanism including a rotatably driven cam carried by a shaft slidably disposed in a guide groove, the cam being effective, in combination with a jumper, to cause a delayed, sharp, rotational advance of the date indicator means when sliding movement of the cam is mechanically arrested.

PATENTED AUG31 ISYI INVENTOR.

JEAN TRIP/5T v I CALENDAR WATCH This invention relates generally to improvements in timepieces such as clocks, watches, and similar time keeping instruments. More particularly, the invention is directed to improvements in clocks, watches, and the like by means of which more effective and precise shifting of date indicator means is effected. Specifically, the present invention has for its primary purpose the provision of improved means by which date indication in a watch may be rendered positive, and changes from date-to-date' may be sharp. I

A principal object of the present invention is to provide in a timepiece automatic means operative to effect a periodic shifting of date indicia means, the shift being sharp and precise.

Arelated object of the invention is to provide in a timepiece, including date indicia means, an improved mechanism ensuring that shift of the, date indicating means each 24-hour period is for a full or complete incremental step.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide in a timepiece which includes date indicia means a date indicia drive-means operating in conjunction with a jumper and detent assembly to effect a delayed, precise, and sharp shifting of the date indicator means at a predetermined instance each 24- hour period. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a timepiece which includes date indicating means a mechanism which obviates gradual shifting of the indicator means as contrasted with a sharp, substantially instantaneous shift.

A related object of the invention is to provide in a timepiece which includes date indicating means a spring-loaded drive assembly precluding slack and free, uncontrolled movement of date carrying indicia means.

A general object of the invention is to effect the date shifting through the driving medium of the clock mechanism itself, without any major alteration in the watch movement.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a timepiece with the fixed dial removed to illustrate, schematically, oneform of the date indicating shifting mechanism of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a face view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating a second position of the calendar crownadvancing cam of the invention. 7

The aims and objects of the invention are accomplished by providing, in a date indicating watch, a calendar crown ad vancing cam whichundergoes sliding as well as rotational movement to effect, in combination with a spring-loaded jumper assembly, a delayed, sharp shift of the date carrying calendar crown a full incremental step. The usual drive means of the watch mechanism is relied upon, and the date shift is accomplished at each, predetermined 24-hour period.

The illustrative example provided in the drawingshows one fonn of means for effecting the incremental shift of the calendar crown, automatically. The timepiece itself contains clock work mechanism of the usual type well known in the art;'the mechanism is, therefore, not illustrated. The clock work mechanism may be either mechanically or electrically operated, a mechanically operated mechanism being indicated more or less diagrammatically, as its particular form does not constitute an essential part of the invention and needs no description here beyond an indication of the functional linkage.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a calendar crown 10 carrying on its top surface date indicating means 14 in an annular array. The date indicating means comprise the numbers l3l, these numbers appearing successively and being viewed through a window formed in the watch dial (not shown), all as is well known in the relevant art. The collarlike or ringlike calendar crown 1.0 is integrally formed with inwardly directed teeth or cogs 18, the arcuate spacing of which is correlated with the positions of the date indicating numbers 14, so that upon each incremental shift of the calendar crown, the nextnumerical date indicator'appears in the window in the watch face. i

As explained, the purpose of the calendar crown 10 is to advance the date indicating means or date indicia l4 step-bystep each 24-hour period. As shown in FIG. 1, rotation of the calendar crown 10 is effected through a cam 22 rotatably supported on a cam shaft 24. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the cam 22 is carriedby or secured mechanically to an intermediary wheel or. gear wheel 28. The intermediary wheel 28 engages with a pinion 30 which is fixedly connected to a cog wheel 34, the latter engaging the watch hour wheel 38, so that the driven hour wheel, in turn, imparts rotary motion to the cam 22.

Also as shown in FIG. 1 the calendar crown engages a detent assembly or jumper assembly 44 which is effective to ensure precise, stepwise incremental advancement of the calendar crown at 24-hour intervals. The detent assembly 44 ineludes a pivotally mounted pawl 46 which carries an integral tongue 50, the tongue being resiliently urged into engagement with the teeth 18 of the calendar crown 10 by means of a spring 52. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the tongue 50 is provided with angled or sloping faces 54 and 56 which project into the interdental space 60 between adjacent teeth 18 and bear against edge portions of the teeth to retain the calendar crown fixed and stable against inadvertent shifting or movement and to ensure positive mechanical action.

An important feature of the instant invention is the manner in which the cam 22 functions. That is, it undergoes not only rotational movement but sliding or pivotal movement as well. As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the cam shaft 24 is slidably disposed in a guide groove 70 formed in the platen or plate 74 of the watch body. In the position of the cam shown in FIG. 1, the cam shaft 24 is at an upper extremity of the groove 70, the position assumed in' response to spring pressure applied against the cam 22 by the return spring 78, the latter being secured in a housing of the platen 74. Asshown, the spring 78 resiliently urges the cam 22 to the extreme position occupied.

The cam 22 is integrally formed with a digit, projection, or finger 86 which, in the position of the cam shown in FIG. 1 bears against a side of one of the teeth or cogs 18 of the calendar crown 10, the digit 86 projecting only slightly into the interdental space between adjacent teeth of the calendar crown.

The operation of the date shifting mechanism of the watch will be evident upon a consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2. When the watch operates, the hour wheel 28 causes the cam 22 to rotate clockwise. When the 'digit 86 of the cam 22 comes in contact with the edge of the cog 18 of the calendar crown 10, the cog l8 constitutes an impediment to the free rotation of the cam 22. It will be appreciated that the calendar crown 10 is restrained against free rotation by the detent assembly 44, previously described. As the cam continues to rotate and movement of the digit 86 along the crown 10 is restricted, the shaft 24 of the cam 22 moves through the guide groove 70, the cam 22 undergoing a pivoting movement. In the preferred arrangement illustrated, as the cam shaft travels through the groove 70, the projection or digit 86 slides against the flange of the tooth or cog l8 and penetrates deeper and deeper into the interdental space 60 formed by the cog l8 and the next adjacent cog.

At a given instant, as indicated schematically in FIG. 2, the intermediary wheel 28 upon which the cam 22 is mounted and which bears against the return spring 78 brings the spring leaf into positive contact against the wall of its housing 80, precluding further movement of the cam shaft 24 through the cam guide groove 70. Since the hour wheel 35 and its associated linkage including cog wheel 34 and pinion 30 continue to rotate the intermediary wheel 28 clockwise, the wheel-carried cam 22 acts to advance the calendar crown through pressure applied to the cog 18 by the cam digit 86.

assembly or detent assembly 44 is effective to achieve a substantially instantaneous jump of the calendar crown, one incremental step.

It will be appreciated that the specific embodiment illus- 1 trated and described is merely exemplary of the invention and that numerous variations may be made without departing from either the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, instead of utilizing the return spring housing 80 as the stop means to limit sliding movement of the cam shaft 22 in the guide groove 70, the stop could consist of the end wall 96 of the guide groove 70. The return spring 78 could bear against the cam itself or against the cam shaft 22 instead of bearing on the intermediary wheel 28.

What I claim is:

l. In a calendar watch including a clock mechanism, an improved date-indicator shifting mechanism effecting sharp,

periodic advance of date-indicia of said watch,

said mechanism comprising, in combination,

a movable, rotatably supported calendar crown carrying date-indicating means in an annular array,

a ring of radially inwardly directed teeth integrally formed with said movable crown and correlated with said date-indicating means,

a platelike platen affixed to said watch groove formed therein,

a cam rotatably driven by the clock mechanism,

projection means carried by said cam and rotatable therewith, said projection means engaging cooperating said teeth of said movable crown to urge said crown annularly in incremental steps at 24-hour intervals,

a cam-carried shaft extending transversely of said cam, said shaft extending into and slidably disposed in said guide groove of said platen for reciprocal movement of said cam between a rest position and a displaced position, return spring means resiliently urging said cam and camcarried shaft toward said rest position and opposing travel of said cam toward said displaced position,

said cam being responsive to pressure of said projection means against one of said teeth of said movable crown to move along said groove in said platen to said displaced position and to bring said cam into positive engagement against mechanical stop means carried by said watch,

means operating in conjunction with said cam for ensuring precise, stepwise incremental advancement of said calendar crown at said 24-hour intervals and comprising detent means operatively engaging said crown,

said detent means comprising, in combination, a pivotally mounted pawl including tongue means integral therewith,

and having a guide and spring means resiliently urging said pawl against said ring of said crown and urging said tongue means of said pawl into engagement with said ring teeth to seat said tongue means into interdental notches therebetween,"

said spring means opposing inadvertent, casual, gradual and uncontrolled annular shifting of said ring, yet responsive to positive opposing force transmitted thereagainst through said cam to permit sharp, angular displacement of said movable crown in finite fixed steps definedby spacing of adjacent said teeth of said ring and corresponding to arcuate separation between adjacent said date indicia carried by said calendar crown,

said positive opposing force being developed upon and correlated with continued driven rotation of said cam after sliding abutment against said mechanical stop means carried by said watch, said opposing force developed being effective to overcome the force of the spring means bearing against said detent means, whereupon said cam undergoes said rotational movement and said projection means shifts said calendar crown arcuately to advance said crown one full incremental step. 2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanical stop means engaged by said cam and defining a displacement limit of said cam consists of an end wall of said cam shaft guide groove formed in said platen,

further sliding displacement of said shaft being precluded by v abutment of said cam shaft against said end wall. 3.. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanical stop means engaged by said cam and defining a displacement'limit of said cam consists of a wall of a housing of said platen in which said return spring means is located,

said return spring means bottoming against said wall to preclude further sliding displacement of said cam shaft in said guide groove.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said projection means of said cam bears upon a flank of a tooth of said calendar crown and penetrates deeper and deeper into an interdental space between said teeth of said crown as said cam shaft shifts from its rest position.

5. The structure as set forth in claim ing an intermediary wheel,

means securing said cam to said intermediary wheel, and

means entercoupling said wheel with said clock mechanism, and

wherein said return spring means bears upon said intermediary wheel resiliently to oppose shifting thereof as said cam shaft travels through said guide groove.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said return spring means bears against a periphery of said intermediary 1 and further compriswheel. 

1. In a calendar watch including a clock mechanism, an improved date-indicator shifting mechanism effecting sharp, periodic advance of date-indicia of said watch, said mechanism comprising, in combination, a movable, rotatably supported calendar crown carrying dateindicating means in an annular array, a ring of radially inwardly directed teeth integrally formed with said movable crown and correlated with said dateindicating means, a platelike platen affixed to said watch and having a guide groove formed therein, a cam rotatably driven by the clock mechanism, projection means carried by said cam and rotatable therewith, said projection means engaging cooperating said teeth of said movable crown to urge said crown annularly in incremental steps at 24-hour intervals, a cam-carried shaft extending transversely of said cam, said shaft extending into and slidably disposed in said guide groove of said platen for reciprocal movement of said cam between a rest position and a displaced position, return spring means resiliently urging said cam and cam-carried shaft toward said rest position and opposing travel of said cam toward said displaced position, said cam being responsive to pressure of said projection means against one of said teeth of said movable crown to move along said groove in said platen to said displaced position and to bring said cam into positive engagement against mechanical stop means carried by said watch, means operating in conjunction with said cam for ensuring precise, stepwise incremental advancement of said calendar crown at said 24-hour intervals and comprising detent means operatively engaging said crown, said detent means comprising, in combination, a pivotally moUnted pawl including tongue means integral therewith, and spring means resiliently urging said pawl against said ring of said crown and urging said tongue means of said pawl into engagement with said ring teeth to seat said tongue means into interdental notches therebetween, said spring means opposing inadvertent, casual, gradual and uncontrolled annular shifting of said ring, yet responsive to positive opposing force transmitted thereagainst through said cam to permit sharp, angular displacement of said movable crown in finite fixed steps defined by spacing of adjacent said teeth of said ring and corresponding to arcuate separation between adjacent said date indicia carried by said calendar crown, said positive opposing force being developed upon and correlated with continued driven rotation of said cam after sliding abutment against said mechanical stop means carried by said watch, said opposing force developed being effective to overcome the force of the spring means bearing against said detent means, whereupon said cam undergoes said rotational movement and said projection means shifts said calendar crown arcuately to advance said crown one full incremental step.
 2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanical stop means engaged by said cam and defining a displacement limit of said cam consists of an end wall of said cam shaft guide groove formed in said platen, further sliding displacement of said shaft being precluded by abutment of said cam shaft against said end wall.
 3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanical stop means engaged by said cam and defining a displacement limit of said cam consists of a wall of a housing of said platen in which said return spring means is located, said return spring means bottoming against said wall to preclude further sliding displacement of said cam shaft in said guide groove.
 4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said projection means of said cam bears upon a flank of a tooth of said calendar crown and penetrates deeper and deeper into an interdental space between said teeth of said crown as said cam shaft shifts from its rest position.
 5. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising an intermediary wheel, means securing said cam to said intermediary wheel, and means entercoupling said wheel with said clock mechanism, and wherein said return spring means bears upon said intermediary wheel resiliently to oppose shifting thereof as said cam shaft travels through said guide groove.
 6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said return spring means bears against a periphery of said intermediary wheel.
 7. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said return spring means bears against a shaft of said intermediary wheel. 